I started running a game of Warhammer with a 6 player group, expecting a bit of attrition with players being unable to make it out every session, etc. So far this has not been true, and after playing through Eye for an Eye with a 6 player group, they easily defeated the cultists without much trouble.

I'm still trying to get a good handle on the monster difficulties. For GMs who have run large groups through published adventures, do you have any tips on scaling up difficulty appropriately to keep it challenging for players?

Thanks!

It is a tricky thing.

When you play with a large grou of players, you realize that this game has been designed for 3-4 players, and scaling things up in number does not go easy.

I have 8 players, and we are never less than 7 at the table. What I have done so far is:

1) I don't use the rule that NPC action cards share recharge tokens. Each NPC has his own action cards like PCs do.

2) I don't use "strictly" the rule that says NPC of the same type share A/C/E dice pool. I just do one dice pool per 3 NPC of the same type. For example, if an encounter has 6 orcs, I do two groups of 3, each sharing a dice pool. I suggest you to do something in this way, increase dice pool acordingly to the number of NPCs.

3) Finally I have skinned in more depth NPCs, giving them action cards and skills, you can find the link in my signature so you can get some ideas.

There are more GMs around these forums playing with parties of 6+ PCs, you will get more ideas.

Cheers,

Yepes

See my other thread (the one ending with Splat) for a discussion on main badguys. One of the plus things of running a big group, is that you have more reasons to up group tension, which does take a toll.

A good rule of thumb is double the opponents and then if the combats seem that they are too hard, have them run away. Thats just like any other game. More opponents always outweigh a single, tougher opponent (except in Black Fire Pass..but that will go without saying when you play that one someday

Lots of henchmen can be a good thing too. Players seem to like mowing through henchmen.

Just remember to diversify your combats (give different types of opponents). For example: Instead of the typical 5 bandits..how about: bandit leader, 1 war dog, 2 bandits with great weapons and 1 with a bow in the treeline and they're trying to maneuver people towards a camouflaged pit.

I just have to link this picture too, but in the case below, you'd double the number of henchmen and wargors and increase the strength of the BBEG in the background so that 6 characters didn't instantly gang up on him with their bows.

jh

Hi,

Would second the above three posts completely.

Also if you are concerned about adding alot of beasties and running a combat with 6 pcs and 10+ npcs/groups of npcs another option is to give everyone a rank in skill training, and some heavier soak values on the armour. Admittedly this wont fit for all situations but in my experience hard fast combats work better with a comfortably maneagable amount of participants for the GM. I also dont share A/C/E among npcs, they all get the full brucies and I try to use as much as possible in the first two rounds. Nobody dies with an expertise dice unspent!

Mind you I never use henchmen either.

#12 brings up a very important point: The difficulty of monsters is primarily determined by how much Total Soak they have. Sure, massive damage counts for something, but the number of rounds that an opponent is standing is much more powerful than a single attack.

Taking an ungor, and putting leather and a buckler on him counts for a lot!

Total Soak is, in my opinion, the most powerful character trait (more important than their damage per turn ). 2-3 orcs in poor quality full plate could annhilate a party.

jh

Question: Emirikol, what are the paperclips for?

Each clip represents an extra ungor in that group. This is for henchmen rather than for individuals.

jh

Emirikol said:

That is a brilliant idea, and seems so obvious now that I've seen it. Many thanks for having now improved my game

Great advice. Thanks very much!